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Childish Gambino's 'This is America' Wins Record of the Year at 2019 Grammys Childish Gambino swept the 2019 Grammy Awards, winning four of his five nominations. "This is America" won awards in three other categories: best music video, song of the year and best rap/sung performance. The song beat out artists such as Drake, Post Malone, Brandi Carlile and The Carters. Released on May 5, 2018, "This is America" addresses gun violence and black oppression in America through striking visuals and allusive imag

Donald Glover: Childish Gambino makes history at 2019 Grammys

He didn’t attend the 2019 Grammy Awards, but Donald Glover made history at them.

The Stone Mountain native, as his alter ego Childish Gambino, won both record and song of the year for “This is America” — the first time a rap song has won the coveted awards.

But the awards didn’t end there. Glover also won for rap/sung performance and for music video, also for “This is America.” He was nominated for R&B song, for “Feels Like Summer.”

He was conspicuously absent at this year’s ceremony (he performed last year), The AJC’s Melissa Ruggieri reported, so his awards were accepted by co-writer and producer Ludwig Goransson, engineer/mixer Derek Ali and mastering engineer Mike Bozzi.

So, where was the singer and actor? Göransson said backstage he didn’t know.

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“I haven’t talked to him yet, but I’m going to call him after the award show and I’m sure we’re going to have a little conversation,” Goransson told reporters, adding, “I don’t know,” when asked if he knew where Glover was.

🎶 Where in the world is... Childish Gambino? 🎶 The This is America team doesn't know where Donald Glover is, but they're definitely grateful for their big win tonight. #GRAMMYspic.twitter.com/gbeAGdo3W5

When asked again about Glover’s whearabouts, etonline.com reported, Goransson said he “tried calling and it wouldn’t go through.”

According to the National, “the last artist to have a major Grammy award accepted in absentia was back in 2003 when Luther Vandross sent one of his managers to pick up his Song of the Year trophy for ‘Dance with My Father.’ ”

“This is America” caused a stir when it was released in May. Full of social commentary about gun violence and racial inequality, the video has been viewed nearly 5 million times on YouTube.

Glover has won awards for his hit FX series “Atlanta.” Glover both created the show and stars in it.